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Meeting China, by Robert Price v
Origins of the Chinese Short-Short Story, by Liu Haitao viii
Introduction, by Harry J. Huang xii
Part I Love Relationships
Sweet Romances
A Woman Hostage, by Sun Fangyou 2
A Snooperscope, by Chung Ling 6
Hand-Pulled Noodles, by Xu Xing 10
My Wife’s Hands, by Gao Weixi 13
A Designer Handbag, by Xu Junquan 19
A Sudden Choice, by Liu Gong 21
Can’t Live Without Love, by He Baiyuan 25
Buttons on Her Back, by Zong Lihua 28
My Wife’s Pearl Necklace, by Zhang Jishu 31
I Don’t Know Who I Am, by Xu Xijun 34
Another Kiss, by Wang Kuishan 36
Be a Young Man Again, by Ling Dingnian 39
A Soldier’s Wife, by Liu Wanli 43
An Excuse for Love, by He Baiyuan 47
Going to Town, by Zhang Ke 51
Sea Burial, by Yin Quansheng 54
Call Me “Ai,” by Liu Liqin 58
Red Bundle, by Liu Fengzhen 61
A One-Yuan Love Story, by Wu Wanfu 65
Pu Songling Accepting a Female Disciple, by Gao Weixi 68
Love Storms
Her Husband’s Mistress, by Lin Ruqiu 72
Relationship by Fate, by Tao Ran 76
Confessing or Attesting, by Xing Qingjie 78
Wind-Bell, by Liu Guofang 82
It’s Late, by Xing Qingjie 85
Also a Toxic Drink, by Xie Zhiqiang 89
Farewell Breakup, by Yan Chungou 93
A Buddhist Convent, by Ma Baoshan 97
May and Her Husband, by Cao Duoyong 101
A Relationship Long Broken, by Yu Rui 105
On the Lovers’ Island, by Liu Wei 109
Love’s Retaliation, by Bai Xiaoyi 112
Unrequited Love
Marrying the Guangxi Woman, by Lin Ruqiu 118
Nearly Said, by Gao Weixi 122
Kindman, by Gui Qianfu 125
Bread and Roses, by Liu Guofang 129
Yours Forever, by Chung Ling 133
Red Scarf, by Chen Yonglin 135
Lovers and Drugs, by Ling Dingnian 138
That Smile of Hers, by Xiu Shi 140
My Secret Affair, by Chen Lifeng 143
“Making Up” Dreams, by Liu Liying 146
Poet for Rent, by Li Jingwen 150
A Golden Girl, by Yuan Yaqin 153
A Door Forever, by Shao Baojian 156
Part II Twists and Turns
Loving Parents
A Villager’s Revenge, by Harry J. Huang 160
Renting a Son for New Year, by Zong Lihua 163
The Mice Are Getting Married, by He Peng 166
Women Bandits, by Sun Fangyou 170
A Snow Statue, by Xu Xing 173
Winter Scenery, by Mo Bai 176
Red Umbrellas, by Jiang Han 179
Coming Home for New Year, by Ma Duangang 183
A Little Bird, by Lu Fuhong 187
Holding You, by Ma Shaoxian 190
Caring Children
Birthday Diary, by Ling Dingnian 194
Sweet Dirt, by Huang Fei 198
A Fearless Experiment, by Zhang Jishu 201
Dentures, by Zhong Zimei 205
A Gift from McDonald’s, by Ye Qingcheng 207
Should I Stay or Go, by Harry J. Huang 210
Interpreting the Will, by Ma Baoshan 211
Dumbboy Ah Tong, by Wan Qian 214
My Home, My Family, by Xiu Xiangming 217
Wolf Path, by Meng Meng 220
Social Ills
He Lost Himself, by Xing Ke 224
Ten Pig Heads, by Ma Fengchao 226
Restaurant Business, by Liu Wanli 229
Chinese Teacher Wanted, by Harry J. Huang 232
Invisible Label, by Jiang Zilong 235
Tigers Don’t Eat Humans, by Ru Rongxing 237
Premonition, by Teng Gang 240
Tiger Skin, by Yi De Er Fu 243
An Art Lover, by Xia Xueqin 246
Doctor Song, by Ling Junyang 249
Money for Bottles, by Li Yongkang 252
An Old Model Worker, by Ye Dachun 255
Just a Joke, by Sun Chunping 259
The Price of Calling the Police, by Zhang Chaoshan 263
“Calligrapher,” by Si Yusheng 265
Lost Voice, by Ah Zhu 266
Hopeful Humans
The “Government’s” Assassin, by Sun Fangyou 272
Celebration Ceremony for the Day When Wars Are Eliminated, by Zhou Daxin 277
What Scares the General, by Lin Ruqiu 280
Su Seven, by Feng Jicai 283
Identifying the Suspect, by Tao Ran 286
The Old Man and the Pickpocket, by Ma Baoshan 289
Fruits, by Yi De Er Fu 293
Boatman, by Wu Jinliang 295
Flowers in Full Bloom, by Xie Zhiqiang 299
Lady Sun’s Sickness, by Li Jingwen 301
Part III Old Classics
Ten Ancient Stories
Coming to Life, by Tao Qian 304
Mr. Shen, by Pu Songling 305
Han Ping and His Wife, by Gan Bao 309
Naked Swimming Pools, by Wang Jia 311
King Chu’s Sword Maker, by Gan Bao 313
Lost in Love Land, by Liu Yiqing 316
Yang’s Dog, by Tao Qian 319
Fighting a Tiger, by Yin Yun 321
Snake Killer, by Gan Bao 323
Peach Woods, by Tao Qian 326
Supplements
Another Essay on “The Short-Short Story Is a Populist Art,” by Yang Xiaomin 330
Collecting Material for the Short-Short Story, by Ling Dingnian 333
The Art of Ending the Short-Short Story, by Sun Fangyou 335
The Short-Short Story Has Its Own Advantage, by Zhou Daxin 337
What I Think of the Short-Short Story, by Tao Ran 339
The Short-Short Story Beats the Novella, by Xu Xijun 341
Biographical Sketches 343
Glossary 359
Pronouncing the Most Difficult Pinyin in the Wade System 363
Titles and Authors’ Names in Chinese 364
Information About the Translator’s Publications 366
Index (Titles and Authors’ Names) 371
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